ABSTRACT
Europe is currently in a state of turmoil. The financial crisis that has gripped the continent since 2008, and the political fallout it has provoked – most notably, the growing nervousness and inward looking attitudes of European citizens and policy-makers worried about their future – is threatening the very foundations of the European integration project and challenging the authority of the institution upholding this project, namely the European Union (EU). This is especially the case for the economic realm, as evidenced in the (not so veiled) threats by some EU member states to introduce protectionist policies in violation of Single Market principles. The gloomy political climate, however, has also affected other pillars of the European Union such as the Schengen border control regime, the institutional arrangement that has rendered possible the establishment of a free travel area across Europe. Although often hailed as a prime example of a success story of European integration, the regime is under pressure. In 2011, some EU members sparred among themselves and with the European Commission over the interpretation and application of its rules regarding the management of borders. The most serious incident pitted France against Italy over the treatment of a sudden surge in North African migrants crossing their common frontiers (see Carrera et al. 2011; Zaiotti 2011a).
